The Best, From Top To Bottom

INSIDE THE AHL

From top to bottom, there's no question the New England Division is the best.

Only six points separate the five teams. It could get tighter after this weekend.

On Saturday, first-place Providence (17-12-1) plays at third- place Worcester (16-12-2). Meanwhile, the last-place Beast of New Haven (13-16-2) will be looking for their first victory at the Civic Center against the second-place Wolf Pack (16-11-2).

The next day, the Wolf Pack play at Springfield and New Haven travels to Providence.

The Wolf Pack have allowed the fewest goals in the division (87) and the Beast the most (92). Of the four divisions, the New England is the only one with five teams with at least 31 points. The top four will qualify for the playoffs.

No one has to remind Beast coach Kevin McCarthy his team is 0-7 in the regular season at the Civic Center, has been outscored 33-16 and has not led in any of the games. The Wolf Pack have won both games at the Civic Center this season, 4-3.

The only time the Beast led the Wolf Pack was Game 1 of the playoffs last season. But the Wolf Pack erased 3-0 and 4-2 deficits with seven goals in the third period.

Biron On Record Pace

With a league-leading four shutouts, Rochester goalie Martin Biron is one from his total for last season. His next one will tie the team career record of 10 held by Gerry Cheevers. Two more will tie Bobby Perreault's record of six in one season.

Biron has played 62 AHL games, far fewer than Perreault (205) and Cheevers (181). Biron leads the league in goals-against average (1.95) and is second in save percentage (.931).

``You can be a great goalie in junior or in college and you can be a great goalie in the AHL, but you may never do anything in the NHL,'' said Biron, a first-round draft choice (16th overall) by Buffalo in 1995. ``Until you're in the NHL and establish yourself as a good goalie, you never know if you can play.''

Party with the Beast

Here's an idea for New Year's Eve. The Beast are selling packages for their game that night against the Worcester IceCats at the New Haven Coliseum. The cost is $50 in advance ($60 at the door) and includes one ticket, a free skating session (skate rentals available for $3) and dinner at Old New Haven Restaurant.

Dinner starts with hors d'oeuvres at 8:30 p.m., followed by a buffet of prime rib, shrimp and chicken marsala.

Packages are limited to 250. Reservations are required and can be made by calling the Beast at (203) 777-7878.

Cairns Back To NHL

Eric Cairns got his wish. The former Wolf Pack defenseman will get his chance to play in the NHL again after the Islanders claimed him off waivers this week.

Cairns, 6 feet 6, 230 pounds, had two assists and 49 penalty minutes in 11 games with the Wolf Pack.

``He brings size and toughness at a position you can never have enough depth with, I think,'' Islanders coach/general manager Mike Milbury said. ``The next time someone whacks Kenny Jonsson, I want someone other than Trevor Linden to drive his head into the boards.''

Herr Starts Quickly

Portland Pirates center Matt Herr, who played at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, has six goals in his first 10 games. . . . Lowell rookie defenseman Ray Giroux, who played the past four years at Yale, has scored seven of his eight goals on the power play. . . . Saint John rookie forward Chris Clark of South Windsor has three goals and 17 assists in 20 games.